JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMOX)-A week before it goes into effect, Missouri’s new law limiting teachers’ ability to contact students through texting and social media is facing a legal challenge. 

The Missouri State Teachers Association is asking a Cole County Judge to issue an injunction, and determine if the measure is constitutional. 

Association Spokesman Todd Fuller says the obvious concern is first amendment rights of free speech, but he says there are also elements of freedom of association and freedom of religion, “We have several members that work with students that are in a small group or in a church setting in another part of the state and they may be in a district that is nearby and in that particular district they may be a teacher and this bill would preclude them from interacting with those students using social media.”

Fuller says teachers are also claim the law is vague, “The implications have been from several teachers, and from administration, that it affects you no matter whether you’re working with your particular specific students or whether you’re working someone else’s students or with a child who is a student in any district.

“It puts teachers in an incredibly awkward place especially if their secondary job or something that they do as a volunteer requires them to interact with students using social media.”

Fuller says many districts already have policies in place to prevent inappropriate contact via social media.

The measure is scheduled to take effect August 28.

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